Accommodation options have come a long way in just a few years, and the choices for travelers nowadays are almost endless. Warm weather destinations especially have accepted the challenge for providing unusual vacation accommodations seriously, and the result? Overwater bungalows, treetop jungle hideaways, cliffside retreats, and conservation focused eco-lodges are the new trend for seasoned travelers.
Visit Bora Bora or the Maldives to luxuriate in thatched roof bungalows perched over crystal clear lagoons. Enjoy private infinity pools, personal waterslides, and panoramic ocean views as you relax to the sounds of sea birds and gentle ocean waves surrounding your private bungalow.
Costa Rica should be on your radar if you’re looking for lodgings in a rainforest canopy treehouse. The Rancho Pacifico Resort is located in Avita, close to the Marino Ballena National Park overlooking the Pacific Ocean. This beautiful resort offers wonderful amenities including guided rainforest hikes, horseback riding, bird watching, water rafting, and waterfall adventures.
Italy’s Amalfi Coast and Santorini, Greece both feature unique hotel suites built into the dramatic vertical cliffside overlooking the Mediterranean and Aegean Seas. Balconies offer unmatched views of the coastline.
Pikaia Lodge in the Galapagos blends a modern, eco-friendly environment in a massive tortoise reserve with exclusive amenities and access to a private yacht for excursions through the islands.
The Al Maha Desert Resort in the Dubai Desert Conservation Reserve offers tented luxury villas amidst vast desert dunes and features daily safaris for wildlife viewing.
Keep in mind that many of these retreats are self-contained and remote, so visitors who want a variety of choices for nightlife, dining, shopping and sightseeing would be better served in a resort setting.
If the destination itself is more important to you than staying at a unique property (you just want a beautiful beach, a place with historical importance, lots of options for fine dining, or entertainment and activities for kids) then you should consider an all-inclusive resort. These resorts, especially those in Mexico and the Caribbean, offer wonderful amenities. As the name would indicate, most of these amenities are included with your accommodations which allows you to budget for your trip with few surprises when you get the bill.
Standard All-Inclusive Amenities:
- Airport transfers
- Food at the property’s restaurants, snack bars, and buffets.
- Drinks – unlimited non-alcoholic beverages and standard alcoholic beverages (wine, beer, well cocktails). Some properties stock a mini-fridge in your room daily with beverages of your choice.
- Access to fitness centers and classes, kids clubs, pools and hot tubs, and non-motorized water sports like snorkel gear, kayaks and paddleboards.
- Entertainment– nightly live shows, music, movie nights, and theme nights.
Premium Options for an additional one-time charge:
- Private airport transfers
- High-end liquor and wine brands
- Special room service menus
- Spa treatments
- Off-site guided excursions
Where are the best all-inclusive resorts located? You’ll find them all over the world! Most convenient to folks in the USA are those located on the Riviera Maya or the Pacific coast in Mexico, or several of the Caribbean islands. Others can be found in Costa Rica, the Polynesian Islands, the Maldives, and Indonesia, but those usually have an all-inclusive add-on package option added to the accommodation cost.
Summer is over, folks! Time to start planning your winter getaway now, so talk to your Travel Leaders advisor for information on the dream vacation you deserve.
